Caribou (Rangifer Tarandus) and Inuit Nutrition Security in Canada
CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by R-libre EcoHealth https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-018-1348-z Ó 2018 EcoHealth Alliance Original Contribution Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and Inuit Nutrition Security in Canada Tiff-Annie Kenny ,1 Myriam Fillion,2 Sarah Simpkin,3 Sonia D. Wesche,4 and Hing Man Chan1 1Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada 2Faculte´ de Me´decine, Universite´ Laval, Que´bec, Canada 3Geographic, Statistical and Government Information Centre, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada 4Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada Abstract: Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) has been fundamental to the diet and culture of Arctic Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years. Although caribou populations observe natural cycles of abundance and scarcity, several caribou herds across the Circumpolar North have experienced dramatic declines in recent decades due to a range of interrelated factors. Broadly, the objectives of this study are to examine food and nutrition security in relation to wildlife population and management status across Inuit Nunangat (the Inuit homeland, consisting of four regions across the Canadian Arctic). Specifically, we: (1) characterize the contribution of caribou to Inuit nutrition across northern Canada and (2) evaluate the population and management status of caribou herds/populations harvested by Inuit. Dietary data were derived from the 2007–2008 Inuit Health Survey, which included dietary information for Inuit adults (n = 2097) residing in thirty-six communities, spanning three regions (the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunavut, and Nunatsiavut) of the Canadian North. Published information regarding the range, abundance, status, and management status of caribou herds/ populations was collected through document analysis and was validated through consultation with northern wildlife experts (territorial governments, co-management, and/or Inuit organizations).
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